


a night so black

by antijosh



Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Fairy Tale Elements, M/M, Minor Character Death, Non graphic violence, Red Riding Hood Elements, fox spirit kang younghyun, some blood, witch jaehyung
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-07-25 23:47:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20034334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antijosh/pseuds/antijosh
Summary: there’s a boy in younghyun’s forest; that is the start of everything.





	a night so black

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by [this tweet](https://twitter.com/panickedjae/status/1155377283009409024) from @panickedjae and [this art](https://twitter.com/sporkqpining/status/1155808860625461248?s=21) from @sporkqpining, and by [a stranger in the doorway](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18392159) by briankang (sandeullie) because as i was writing the imagery of that fic just wouldn't leave me alone ;; definitely give it a read if you haven't, it's really lovely~
> 
> cheers to rosa for the beta, and cheers to my last day in america for a while~ hope you enjoy!
> 
> 191004: now with a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6rhfsRmgplioelITWwPVp3?si=lx7IYhTvR6uqhcHpubETZA)!

_“the night so black that the darkness hummed”_

_\- in the woods somewhere, hozier_

there’s someone in younghyun’s forest.

perhaps he shouldn’t say _his _forest, for it belongs not only to him but also to all the other living things that inhabit it, but this bit is very much _his neck of the woods_ so to speak, and it is very out of the ordinary for there to be someone in it.

the human’s scent carries through the air, makes him easy to track as he wanders deeper and deeper into the wood. younghyun is careful to stay out of sight as he follows, watching.

_mind the people in the forest_, younghyun’s mother always said. _they may not have teeth or claws but they have guns and knives, and they will not hesitate to tear you apart._

this boy, though. younghyun can’t imagine there’s anything dangerous about him.

he’s small, entirely too small to be out alone, and he sings a song about bunny rabbits as he walks, little feet making a new path among the forest flowers. he picks one, holds it up to take a closer look; it makes him sneeze.

there are whispers as younghyun follows, but the boy just picks another flower and continues on.

the thing about the forest, this forest in particular, is that it is not nearly as passive as forests are meant to be. branches rework themselves after younghyun passes through, trees wrought themselves into gates tougher than iron, and vines twine together as if by the hand of arachne.

the thing about this forest is that it will eat this human alive.

younghyun decides he won’t let that happen. the human is only a boy, after all. he deserves a chance.

younghyun follows him all the way to a cottage deep in the woods, far beyond his usual stomping grounds, and he doesn’t leave until the boy is safely inside.

it’s only the right thing to do, he reasons. and if any of the other creatures in the forest ask, he’s just intrigued.

the thing about this boy is that he keeps coming back.

younghyun reasoned away the first time as a simple act of kindness. fox spirits are, by nature, unpredictable, and if he chooses to manifest his variability as kindness for a one off occasion then that’s within normal behavior.

but then the boy comes back. and keeps coming back.

younghyun continues to follow, and he learns.

the cottage deep in the wood belongs to the boy’s grandmother, a kind woman with gnarled hands who spends her time sitting by the window knitting sweaters for her only grandson. the boy is called _jaehyungie_, and he is ten years old and his favorite color at the moment is red, though his grandmother makes a joke that it’ll change as soon as she turns around. she keeps the boy—_jaehyungie_—safe, far more than younghyun is sure the boy can recognize. there’s sage burning at all times, the smell burning younghyun’s nostrils whenever he gets too close to the cottage. an iron horseshoe hangs over the front door and each windowsill is lined with salt—the old woman takes no chances. younghyun respects that about her. he keeps a healthy distance out of respect for his own safety, and besides. there’s not much to worry about when the boy is with his grandmother.

the problem arises when he comes and goes.

the old woman is no fool. the sweaters she knits are woven with protection charms, and she tucks amulets in his pockets before he sets off for home. still, the forest isn’t safe for a human, even one as well protected as the boy, so younghyun keeps watch. not like he’s got much else to do.

fox spirits are meant to be lonesome. younghyun had a mother, once, but her job was to ensure he didn’t die while he was coming into his own and endow him with the knowledge he would need to continue on with the not-dying. his memories consist of her words, her warnings, not of warm embraces or expressions of love. she called him _darling_, once in a while. it’s the closest thing to affection younghyun’s ever known.

he thinks this is the reason behind the dull ache he gets watching the boy and his grandmother, watching her hands caress his chubby cheeks as she plants kisses on top of his ruffled hair. there’s an emptiness younghyun feels when he watches the boy make it safely home, his mother opening the door and letting all that warm golden light spill out into the street, wasting it like they’ve got plenty to spare. there is no warm golden light in the night of the forest. younghyun longs to be in that home, and it feels like a betrayal.

the boy grows. it’s not like younghyun doesn’t remember his own growing, but he doesn’t have enough of a concept of time to know if this is normal or if the boy (_his boy_, as he thinks of him occasionally) is growing like a weed. now when he visits the old woman in the woods she tuts over how short his pants have gotten on him and mends the holes in all his socks. then she feeds him, because the boy has always been skinny but now he’s growing up and not out, leaving his bones to stick out at all his joints. younghyun persuades the berry bushes next to the woman’s house to grow a little thicker, makes sure that more than her fair share of rabbits make their way into the woman’s pot. it’s only right.

the boy becomes a man, and the woman grows sick.

it startling to younghyun—he hasn’t seen his human in what feels like a long time, so when he finally steps foot in the woods again younghyun is taken aback by his appearance. gone is the boyish innocence, the clumsiness that seemed to cling to his body through the years. he’s sure footed now, grown into his long limbs and tall stature. his face is slim too, with a proud nose and full lips that draw younghyun’s attention. if he wasn’t so sure the boy was human, younghyun could have mistaken him for a prince of the fae.

he shudders. in the woods, beauty can be a dangerous thing.

younghyun’s sure it’s the old woman’s illness that’s brought his human back, because after his reappearances he comes back more frequently than before. when he was young, the woman gave the boy things, but now he brings things to her: pots of hearty stew, handmade quilts, and ingredients for an elixir of strength that he brews over the woman’s stove as she instructs him from the bed. the boy has steady hands. that is good, younghyun thinks. there’s no room for trembling in the forest.

the boy comes everyday now, and while the woman doesn’t seem to get better, she doesn’t appear to get sicker either. still, she’s too weak to weave her charms or make new amulets, so younghyun makes sure the boy never walks through the forest without younghyun’s eyes on him. it would be too dangerous otherwise.

it’s just a precaution for awhile, but then the forest starts to get brave.

younghyun can hear them whisper, feels the eyes watching the boy as if they’re on him. the creatures follow, so younghyun makes sure he follows closer, staying just far enough behind to keep the boy ignorant to his presence. the creatures know better than to play with the fox spirits of the forest, but human blood at stake makes them bold. they snap at his heels, annoyed that he’s keeping them from their dinner.

the first time he bleeds for the boy, younghyun wonders if this is all worth it.

then he watches the boy perch on his grandmother’s bed and bring a cup of soup to her mouth, and he realizes that was never a question.

younghyun can hold his own. he learned to defend himself around the same time he learned he had claws and teeth to use, and the forest keeps him sharp. nothing that threatens the boy scares him too much. he has no problem staying out of sight while he deals with the sprites and pixies and occasional troll that bother him in pursuit of his human. it’s a source of pride for him, that he can keep the human safe without the human even knowing he exists.

but there are bigger threats in the forest, and it’s no small miracle that they’ve gone this long without one catching wind of them.

the boy is halfway home when younghyun hears it. the crack of dead branches is heavier somehow, unaccompanied by the usual chatter of pixies and sprites. a burning, acrid scent catches on younghyun’s nostrils, and he spurs into a run.

he’s only just fast enough. younghyun’s body collides with that of the wolf at top speed, knocking the animal off its war path and into the brush, sending them both tumbling. the sound alerts the boy, who spins on his heel to watch the two of them struggle.

the wolf snaps at younghyun’s neck, at his belly and joints as younghyun struggles to free himself from the wolf’s claws. he snaps back, his slender face allowing him to land a few bites around the wolf’s jaw. still, the wolf’s claws are sharp against his belly, and younghyun’s blood spills hot and gold on the october leaves.

a wounded sound echoes in the dry air, but it doesn’t come from either animal. then the wolf yelps as a rock hits its face, and then another, and then another.

the wolf stills, blinking sluggishly as it tries to find the source of the assault, giving younghyun enough time to land a blow before he escapes the grasp of the wolf’s claws. the wolf yelps, righting itself and baring its teeth in a snarl before backing away into the brush.

younghyun huffs. apparently they aren’t worth the trouble.

speaking of they.

younghyun tucks his tail as he turns, trying to remain non-threatening as he faces the boy.

the boy looks back at younghyun with wide eyes, slingshot still poised in his hand. slowly, he puts it in the pocket of his red sweater and shows younghyun his empty palms.

“i won’t hurt you,” he says, voice soft and low like the running water in the stream. younghyun wants to laugh. of course this boy will not hurt him. he would never hurt younghyun.

“can you show me where you’re hurt?”

younghyun considers it. this body is less threatening, but his thick orange fur will hide the gashes. he doesn’t want to scare the boy, but he’s never been wounded like this.

younghyun makes a decision.

he lies down on the leaves with a whine, body shuddering as he shifts, taking a shape that closely resembles that of the boy—a human.

“holy shit.”

younghyun groans, shaking the leaves out of his long hair before pressing a hand—a real human hand!—to the gash in his stomach. it comes away wet with golden blood.

to his credit, the boy takes this development remarkably well. he kneels in the dirt, shrugging the red sweater off his shoulders and leaving himself in just a white undershirt.

“um,” he begins, and when younghyun looks at his face he can see the boy is blushing, red tinging his soft cheeks. “here. you can wear this if you like.”

younghyun very much would like. he’s already starting to shiver without the comfort of his fur to protect him from the cool forest air, and the blood loss isn’t helping matters either.

younghyun reaches out, but quickly realizes the logistics of draping a sweater around his shoulders with just the one hand are not in his favor. the boy realizes as well, and when younghyun drops his hand he moves slowly, careful not to jostle younghyun as he covers him as best he can. the blush grows stronger as he gets closer, and younghyun has to fight to suppress a smile.

“thank you,” younghyun rasps, voice raw and stilted from disuse.

the boy makes a noise of surprise. “you can speak!”

“yes. sometimes,” younghyun answers.

the boy still smiles, so bright its nearly blinding. “i have so many questions. but first we need to get you to a hospital. can you tell me where—”

before the boy can continue, younghyun shakes his head. “take me. to the old woman. please.”

the boy’s brow furrows. “the old woman? you mean my grandmother?”

younghyun nods. “she will know. how to fix me.”

the boy nods in understanding. “we should move quickly then. it’s a long walk back through the woods.”

it is indeed a long walk back, especially in this body. younghyun’s feet drag, snagging on rocks and branches that cut them. the boy winces when he sees the scratches, apologizing like it’s his fault that younghyun doesn’t know how to walk on two legs and has neither callouses nor leather to protect his feet. such a peculiar human habit, apologizing for things they have nothing to do with. younghyun’s mother used to say it was a sign of their ignorance. younghyun likes to think it’s a sign of their goodness.

dusk brings with it the threat of another attack, and as the sun starts to set they move faster, younghyun looping his arm over the boy’s shoulders so he can be pulled along.

finally, the warm light of the cabin is in front of them, and younghyun allows himself to be half carried inside. the boy places him gently on a bench in front of the wooden table, and quickly rushes to the bedroom.

when he returns, he averts his eyes and thrusts a wad of brown fabric at younghyun. “here. i brought you some pants to wear, you know. if you want.”

right. humans don’t usually walk around without clothes. that explains all the blushing then.

“yes,” younghyun answers, but he doesn’t move to take them. “can you. help?”

“oh.” the boy looks embarrassed. “of course.” he kneels, guiding younghyun’s feet into the fabric with a gentle hand around his ankle. “can you stand?”

younghyun rises with a hum, and the boy tugs the fabric up to his hips. when its done, younghyun sits again, and the boy releases a shaky breath. “okay. now about stitching you up. can you take your hand away so i can see?”

younghyun obliges, letting his hand fall to rest palm up beside him and fighting the uneasiness in his chest when he leans back, fully exposing his stomach to the boy.

“right. okay. that is nasty.” the boy’s nose crinkles as he crouches to examine it, and younghyun lets out a huff of laughter. the light of the lamps in the small kitchen is enough for both of them to get a good look, and younghyun winces when he sees the extent of the injury. its two gashes, and the larger one stretches from just to the right of his sternum to above his left hip. the smaller one runs parallel to it a few inches below, terminating somewhere over the apex of his thigh. both have started to clot, but the surrounding skin is red and angry, and will need to be wrapped.

“so,” the boy begins. “i’m going to go get my grandmother. i’ll be right back.”

“i’ll be. here,” younghyun replies, and the boy rolls his eyes.

“ha ha, he has a sense of humor. just try not to bleed out while i’m gone.”

“doing my best.” younghyun says, and the boy smiles that brilliant smile before he disappears into the bedroom.

he reappears a few minutes later, pushing his grandmother in a chair with wheels instead of legs. she chuckles at the sight of younghyun.

“i was wondering when you’d finally introduce yourself, fox,” she says, and younghyun bows his head out of respect.

“my apologies,” he says. “i was trying to. lay low.”

“it’s alright dear. i am very grateful for all you’ve done for my grandson. now,” she pauses, and for a moment her body is racked with coughs. “let’s see about those scratches. jaehyung, dear, i’ll need you to be my hands.”

“always,” the boy—jaehyung, younghyun really should start calling him jaehyung—replies. “what do i need to do?”

“start some water on the stove and add willow bark, you’ll need to soak the bandages in that. then make a paste of turmeric and honey to pack the wound before you wrap it. that should help everything to heal nicely, don’t you think fox?”

“sounds. lovely,” younghyun answers.

“get to work then, jaehyung, your fox doesn’t have all night. i trust that you can handle this.” with that, she takes the wheels of her chair in her hands, and turns back towards the bedroom. “i’m afraid i must rest now. i’ll leave you to it.”

“of course, grandmother,” jaehyung says.

“thank you,” younghyun adds, unsure of how to address the old woman.

she knows this immediately. “you may call me witch, fox. though you may want to consider telling my grandson your real name. its only polite.”

with that, she’s gone back through the bedroom doorway, leaving younghyun alone with jaehyung. jaehyung moves immediately, pulling ingredients out of a brown leather trunk in the corner and placing a battered pot on the stove. once the willow bark is in the water, he starts chopping the tumeric. this is when he speaks.

“so do you have a name? my grandmother is usually right about these things.”

“younghyun,” he answers. “my name is younghyun. you are. jaehyung?”

“just jae,” jaehyung—no, jae—answers.

“okay. just jae.”

younghyun is smiling when jae turns around from the stove, and jae grins right back at him. “you’re a funny guy. didn’t know fox spirits could be so funny. thought you guys were the serious protectors of the forest and all.”

ignoring the comment about his personality, younghyun asks, “you know?”

picking up his spoon to stir the willow bark, jae hums. “well it was kind of obvious, what with the whole fox turning into a person that’s currently getting golden blood all over my grandmother’s kitchen table.”

younghyun winces, looking at where his bloody hand is resting on the wood. “sorry.”

“‘s alright,” jae replies. “this is gonna sting, by the way.” he approaches younghyun with a bowl of golden paste in his hands, lips downturned at the corners in what younghyun assumes is an apologetic expression.

younghyun’s eyes screw shut as jae’s gentle fingertips press the salve into his stomach, whispered apologies washing over younghyun’s ears as jae works. its over quickly, though, and the damp bandages feel like heaven against his hot and angry skin.

“there, that should last till the morning. we can do a dressing change then and see how everything looks. how fast do you heal?”

younghyun shrugs, an unapologetically human action. “don’t know.”

“like you just never paid attention? or like you’ve never…” jae trails off as he realizes, and younghyun is quick to speak, despite his struggle to get the words out.

“not your fault,” he says, tongue tripping over the sounds as the fatigue catches up to him. “i wanted—i want to protect.”

“protect me,” jae finishes, and younghyun nods. “why?”

younghyun feels heat pricking in his cheeks, and it occurs to him that he must be as flushed as jae was before. “you were. small. cute.” he huffs out a laugh. “now you are big. but still cute.”

“well i’m flattered,” jae says, “but its still stupid for you to put yourself in danger for someone you don’t know.”

younghyun shrugs again. “worth it,” is his only answer. jae rolls his eyes, but he accepts this anyway.

“you should stay here, while you heal. i’m assuming you don’t spend a lot of time as a human, but i can tell you right now that this will be a hell of a lot more comfortable then staying out there,” jae tells him, and younghyun nods in agreement.

“if you think. it is best.”

“as a matter of fact, that’s exactly what i think.” jae’s satisfied smile sends younghyun’s heart skittering in his chest. “i’ll get you a bedroll, you can stay out here in the main room.”

the bedroll is soft and smells like jae, which makes it infinitely nicer than any patch of dirt or moss that younghyun’s slept on before this. jae disappears through a doorway to sleep elsewhere, leaving younghyun alone on his soft mat with the air still warm from the stove surrounding him. it’s the best sleep he’s ever had.

jae is an attentive caretaker, and snaps at younghyun if he moves too much during dressing changes or eats too much of whatever ingredient jae is currently using to make a salve. younghyun is given more soft fabric to cover his body, including large draping swaths for shirts that don’t irritate his bandages or the healing skin beneath. there’s lilac scented soap in the washroom and a porcelain tub to go with it, enchanted so that the water never goes cold. younghyun could get used to this life.

in thanks for the hospitality, he helps however he can. after a few days of fumbling with a knife trying to prepare the ingredients for food and for potion brewing, jae and the witch both decide he is much more useful outdoors, his sensitive nose guiding jae and his woven basket to hidden patches of much needed mosses and herbs. despite his fumbling with kitchen knives, younghyun is deadly with a hunting knife, and brings home hare for dinner as often as he can. hunting in a human body is a peculiar feeling, but he grows used to it. its a challenge in such a large form, feet unaccustomed to the rough ground, but younghyun likes the work.

they don’t speak of what will happen when younghyun is healed. younghyun assumes he’ll go back to the forest, despite not really wanting to, and figures that’s what his humans expect of him as well. (he hasn’t asked about referring to them as ‘his’ humans, but he hopes they don’t mind, even if it’s only ever in his own head.)

then one afternoon, jae inspects his stomach, and nothing is there to see except two shining white lines. “looks good as new,” jae beams. “you can go home whenever you like.”

“go home,” younghyun repeats. perhaps jae thinks younghyun has a house, or a den waiting for him somewhere out there. he’d be wrong. younghyun’s home is kneeling right in front of him, smelling of lavender and turmeric powder.

younghyun has to leave sooner than he realized. he’s always awake before jae and the witch—a force of habit, waking up with the sun—which means that he’s alert and perched on the bench in the kitchen when jae comes flying out of the bedroom.

“have you seen my grandmother?” he asks, eyes wide and voice frantic. younghyun shakes his head. usually at this hour she’s still sound asleep in her bed.

“she’s gone,” jae says, panic mounting. “she’s gone, all of her things are here but she’s gone, oh god. something must have happened, someone must have come and taken her, younghyun you have to have seen something!”

“i’m sorry,” he says, for lack of better words. “i’m sorry.”

it’s the wrong thing to say.

“it’s because you’re here.” jae’s voice softens dangerously. “she’s lived here her whole life just fine, and now something’s happened and the only thing that’s changed is—you.”

“jae—” younghyun starts, but jae shakes his head, anger taking over his body. he looks impossibly small, and younghyun hurts. “get out! this is your fault!” he throws a tea cup; it smashes against the wall, a few feet to the right of younghyun’s head. not a weapon, but a warning. “she was fine until you got here, and now she’s gone! get out!”

younghyun makes no sound, slipping back into his animal body with a shudder. jae stops yelling then, black eyes meeting younghyun’s in a meaningful glare.

younghyun gets the message. he flees, leaving nothing but the pile of clothes he was wearing and the scent of wood smoke behind him.

at first, it doesn’t make sense. the witch is too wise to let herself be taken by anything (or anyone) in the forest, no matter how sickly she may be. younghyun struggles for the answer, tracking circles around the cottage looking for any sign of her. he doesn’t really expect to find anything, but of course that’s why he stumbles upon a clearing he swears wasn’t there a few weeks ago.

it isn’t much, just a blank space in the trees about ten paces across, but upon closer inspection younghyun can see the faint trace of a circle left in the moss, and what looks like tracks leading in but not out.

everything clicks into place, and younghyun sits back on his haunches with a huff. couldn’t the old woman have given a warning?

in retrospect, her logic is sound. leaving jae to care for younghyun proved his worth, and ensured that younghyun would be healthy enough to continue watching over the cottage and it’s inhabitant. with jae secured as the next witch of the woods, she was free to move on to other worlds, where her earthly ailments wouldn’t matter any longer. calling on the fae was her clean exit—younghyun has to hand it to her for having a plan in place for when the time came.

not that jae knows any of this. not that younghyun can tell him.

it feels different now, to return to a life in the woods after weeks of living with jae. his fox body once felt like home, and while it is still the most familiar to him, now he feels like he’s missing something. it’s not hard to figure out why.

still. if what jae needs is for younghyun to keep his distance then that is what he will do.

he still keeps an eye on jae, of course, but his services are no longer needed the way they once were. jae doesn’t take his daily walks back to the village anymore—he lives in the cottage in the woods now. he’s taken over tending to the gardens, brewing the potions and making the amulets for the people in the village. he walks every week to the market, but other than that he stays safe in his little corner of the forest, which younghyun is grateful for. he knows that with time, jae will become a powerful witch, but for now he can’t help but worry.

there’s another reason he’s glad jae keeps to himself.

more and more humans have been encroaching on the forest. they come in groups, armed with guns and knives and steel traps, ready to cut down anything in their path. younghyun keeps an eye on them as best he can, but he’s careful not to get too close—satisfying his curiosity is not worth the price he would have to pay.

it’s the pixies that suffer the most, he notices, probably because they are the most fearless. the humans catch them and put them in cages, and younghyun doesn’t think he wants to know where they go when they’re taken away. most of the other forest creatures get the message after that, and give the humans a wide berth. it may be in their nature to prey on trespassers, but these are a different breed. younghyun is careful to watch where he steps.

summer turns to fall turns to winter; the humans gain more territory and jae grows more into his role every day. people send their children to him to cure their ailments, tend their wounds, protect them with charms and talismans because his abilities are trusted as his grandmother’s were. as always, younghyun watches, keeping his distance. it’s safer that way.

it should have been safe. younghyun’s walked the same path thousands of times, knows the feeling of the lichen beneath his paws like his knows his own name. he knows where to step, how to avoid the hills of the fae and the toadstools of the elves as he walks. it should have been safe.

but it wasn’t.

no sooner has he set down his front paw than a shock of pain runs through him, sharp steel teeth closing and crushing all beneath. he lets out a pitiful sound, crumpling onto his front knees as his back paws scramble to find good footing. each tug on his front paw hurts him even more, and the steel trap doesn’t budge an inch. younghyun stills to consider his options.

there’s a chance that he could get out if he was in his human body. there’s also a chance that the grip of the steel trap might ruin the delicate muscles and bones of a human hand. younghyun isn’t loving either of his options, which is of course why he runs out of time to choose.

the sound of dead leaves and old snow being crushed beneath boots is familiar to younghyun, and he braces himself for the arrival of whoever the trap belongs to. he’s ready to have to trick his way out of the situation so he can go lick his wounds when the human approaches, crouching down beside younghyun and extending a hand.

“hey, buddy, got yourself in some trouble huh?”

younghyun’s shocked by the voice. if jae was anywhere nearby, he should have known—but here he is, taken by surprise by an oblivious jae.

jae doesn’t stay that way for long. younghyun looks up, and he can see that jae realizes who he is the second he meets younghyun’s eyes.

“oh shit.” younghyun’s missed hearing that. “jesus, younghyun, let’s get you out of there.”

younghyun makes a note to say thank you when he regains the ability to speak.

jae gets to work quickly, deft fingers loosening the screws of the trap until the steel teeth fall open, allowing younghyun to yank his paw free.

“careful,” jae admonishes, and while younghyun had doubts about jae’s willingness to help beyond the freeing of younghyun’s paw, they’re quickly absolved when jae extends a hand. “come one, let me see your paw. unless you want to go human first. might make it easier to treat, but its up to you.”

younghyun lets out an answering whine before he lays down, body shuddering as he makes the switch. jae is ready, swinging his red hooded cloak off his shoulders so he can drape it over younghyun. he still blushes this time around; younghyun thinks its cute.

“thanks,” younghyun croaks out, making good on his note.

“no problem,” jae replies, and if it comes out a little choked then younghyun ignores it. its only polite.

jae helps younghyun to his feet, gentle even with younghyun’s good hand. once he’s upright, jae takes younghyun’s wounded hand in both of his, cradling it like its something precious.

“i thought a fox spirit might be more careful,” he says, not looking up to meet younghyun’s sheepish eyes.

“me too,” younghyun replies, and that gets a huff of laughter out of jae.

“let’s get you back to my place then, i’ll get you cleaned up,” jae says, reaching out to adjust his cloak around younghyun. “if i’d known i’d be running into you, i would have brought an extra pair of shoes.”

“i’ll manage.” younghyun smiles. despite the situation, jae’s eyes are bright, and he’s inviting younghyun back to the cottage he was kicked out of only a year ago.

the cottage is just as warm and inviting as younghyun remembers, even with only one inhabitant. jae’s changed the decor a little, and the kitchen counters are messier than the old woman kept them, but the whole place smells like lavender and rosemary and there’s tea sitting ready on the stovetop—it’s still a home. younghyun misses living here more than he can say, but that probably has just as much to do with the occupant as it does with the building (if not more).

“i kept the clothes you wore the last time you were here,” jae says, dropping a soft pile of fabric into younghyun’s lap once he’s sat on the same kitchen bench. “they’re clean though. promise.”

“jae?”

“yeah?”

“foxes don’t. really care if laundry is clean.”

younghyun grins, and jae smiles right back as he crouches in front of him, eyes crinkling as they look up to younghyun’s. “funny. you’re still a funny guy, huh? good to know some things don’t change.

“just trying to. lighten the mood.”

jae rolls his eyes, but he’s still smiling. younghyun counts that as a win. “can you get dressed one handed or do you want me to help?”

younghyun huffs. “i can do it.”

as it turns out he cannot do it, because putting on pants with only one good hand is hard enough without compounding it with poor fine motor skills. jae wordlessly steps in to pull the pants up over younghyun’s hips and tie the drawstring tightly, for which younghyun is grateful. asking for help might have destroyed the tiny bit of pride he still has left.

when there’s a shirt over younghyun’s head, jae turns his attention back to the hand. “jesus, these look like teeth marks. some of them are pretty deep, i think i might have to stitch you up this time. you okay with that?”

younghyun nods. “i trust you,” he answers easily.

jae’s expression changes, and he turns his back on younghyun as he starts rummaging around for supplies. when he returns, it takes him a moment before he can draw his eyes away from the knot on the wood of the table leg and up to younghyun’s face.

“i didn’t. i should have, and i didn’t. i’m so sorry, younghyun.”

younghyun grimaces, though not from the pain in his hand. “it’s ok. i would have blamed me too.”

jae just sighs, reaching for gauze pads out of his pile of supplies on the table. "it's really not." younghyun doesn't reply to that, because he knows argument is futile; jae will just have to realize things are alright in his own time. younghyun will do his best to show that he holds no grudge, but with jae, telling won't do much of anything.

jae hums as he works, dabbing off any of younghyun's blood that hasn't clotted yet with clean gauze before he applies a poultice of something he says will kill anything harmful on younghyun's skin. after that there's another round of gauze, and then he breaks out the needle and thread.

jae presses his lips together, giving younghyun an apologetic look. "this isn't going to be fun."

younghyun snorts. "i think i'll be fine."

the corners of jae's mouth kick up into the ghost of a smile. "okay tough guy, let's see what you're made of."

the first pass of the needle makes younghyun hiss, and jae can't hold back his snort of amusement. "i thought so."

"don't be so smug. asshole," younghyun grumbles.

"don't try to talk while i have a needle in your hand," jae retorts, and younghyun complies, settling back against the wood of the bench with a forced exhale.

"almost done," jae says only a few moments later, and younghyun quirks an eyebrow in a very human display of his surprise.

"already?"

the expression jae gives him at that can only be described as smug. "i'm just that good."

once he’s stitched and bandaged, younghyun sits back while jae brews tea for the both of them.

“did you know?” he asks as he sets the steaming mug in front of younghyun, and younghyun doesn’t have to ask for clarification.

“no,” he says, shaking his head vehemently. “i didn’t know what happened until. after. i went looking.”

jae nods solemnly. “i did too. should have guessed you’d find it first, though. after that—i wasn’t sure how to get into contact with you.” he coughs. “wasn’t sure you’d want to hear from me, anyway.”

younghyun smiles, the sensation of the expression a familiar one to him now. “always. from you, always.”

his hand takes longer to heal than his stomach did all those months ago. when younghyun expresses frustration over this, jae makes a face at him and explains again about tendons and ligaments and nerves knitting back together before he shoves a pastry into younghyun’s mouth and walks away.

(they’re called bear claws, and they’re delicious. jae buys them every week from a woman at the market and younghyun thinks they might just be his favorite thing about humanity. then he looks at jae and thinks, well, maybe his second favorite.)

when jae finally takes the stitches out, he laughs when younghyun yelps like a wounded dog and smiles when younghyun flexes the hand, scar still shiny and pink.

“how’s it feel?” jae asks, and younghyun grins.

“perfect,” he answers.

jae’s smile straightens out, and his lips press together like he’s holding something back.

“what is it?” younghyun asks, because he knows jae won’t lie to him. (or at least he hopes he knows.)

“nothing,” jae answers quickly, yelping when younghyun digs his socked foot into the soft space beneath jae’s ribs. “jeez, fine, i was just thinking of what i should give you when you leave.”

“leave?” younghyun doesn’t mean to sound so goddamn desperate, but there’s not much he has to hide from jae anyway.

jae swallows, looking away awkwardly. “well now that you’re good as new i figured you’d be going back out there and i just—i wanted you to have some stuff. clothes, a knife, that kind of thing. in case you need it and i can’t reach you.”

“oh.” younghyun worries his bottom lip with his teeth, struggling to make his clumsy tongue say what he means. “do i—do i have to?”

jae’s eyes widen. “no! No, you don’t have to take anything. i’m sorry if that’s like, weird to you since you’ve been a fox for forever and you know how to take care of yourself—“

“jae?” younghyun asks, and jae cuts himself off, answering with an inquisitive noise. “stop talking please.”

jae’s cheeks pink up. it’s cute. “it’s not. the stuff i have a problem with,” younghyun explains carefully. “it’s just. i like it here. i don’t want to leave. if i don’t have to.”

“oh,” jae says. “_oh_. shit, jesus, younghyun i shouldn’t have assumed, i—you really wanna stay here? with me?”

younghyun grins. “that’s the idea.”

“_why_? you’re a forest spirit, shouldn’t you want to go home?” jae’s eyebrows are knit together in confusion, and younghyun has to hold back his laughter. he’s been told it’s quite fox-like.

“but that’s you,” he answers, watching the revelation dawn on jae’s face. “i want to stay with you. even if you left the woods. i’d follow you anywhere if you let me.”

“i’m—i’m not—” jae struggles, and younghyun softens his smile, reaching out to lay his healed palm on jae’s arm. breathing in deep, jae finishes. “i’m not going anywhere, so you don’t have to worry about that. but i want you here, if here is where you want to be.” jae turns his hand palm up, and younghyun runs his hand down jae’s forearm until their fingers lace together like he’s seen other humans do. jae gives a gentle squeeze, and younghyun wants something else.

“jae?”

“hm?”

“i want to do. the other thing people do when they like someone.”

“uhhhh.” jae’s ability to speak seems compromised, mouth hanging open in a pretty pink ‘o’. younghyun takes initiative, pressing his shoulder tight to jae as he leans in and presses his lips to jae’s in a featherlight kiss. jae makes a strangled noise, but when younghyun goes to pull back jae chases him. he’s a good kisser, for someone who younghyun’s pretty sure has never been kissed before—a natural.

a thought occurs to younghyun when he pulls away again (this time jae lets him, slumping back against the bench with a sigh).

flexing his decidedly human fingers in jae’s grip, he says, “i think. in the stories a kiss is supposed to turn me human.”

jae just looks confused for a moment before things click into place, and younghyun smiles. “i think you’d have to be stuck as a fox for that to apply, and i’d have to be royalty. and besides,” he says with a sniff, “i’m a witch. i’m wild just like you.”

younghyun gives jae’s hand another squeeze, admiring the scars dotting his knuckles and the faint traces of turmeric clinging to his fingertips. “you are.”

it goes like this: younghyun’s corner of the forest changes, and he watches over it from a human body with jae by his side, red cloak around his shoulders as he coaxes the plants into flowering and the animals out of hiding. younghyun watches him work, and everything is right.

_“it can't be unlearned_

_i've known the warmth of your doorways_

_through the cold, i'll find my way back to you”_

_\- it will come back, hozier_

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/bribeombot)


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